Bottle tray



Dec. 22, 1953 w. csr-:lsLER 2,663,486

BOTTLE TRAY Filed Aug. 17, 1949 5 Sheevts-Shee'c l INVENTOR WILLIAM GE'ISLER ATTORNEYS Dec. 22, 1953 w. GElsLER 2,663,485

' BOTTLE TRAY Filed Aug. 17, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

WILLIAM GEISLER mi' imam/)m Fahhm TTTT RHEYS Patented Dec. 22, 1953.STATES PATENT ...oigFFI-CE BOTTLE TRAY 'Wi'll'iamGeisler, Tenafly, N.J., assignorto Wilbro ZCorporation, New York, N. Y., a-corporation of :New York pplication August V17, 1949, Serial.No.110,708

invention 'is 'to `'provide "'a tray, as distinguished from a case,which is .formed of 'i'ibreboard with reinforcing "members '.generallysimilar 'to the case described in my above-mentioned "applica- 'tionan'dwhi'ch possesses oertain'advanta'ges over the Woodtraysnow."larglyemployed.

'The objectofthe'invetionistoprovi'de latray of the 'character"described, 'wherein the 'entire tray, .including the "'st'iip's formingv'the divisions between the ibottles, "may "be `shipped `knocked down inone 'piece "forerection at the bottling plant, as 4required foruse,thereby eiecting a large saving in freight andstora'geiexpense over theconventional Wooden tray.

A 'further .obje'ct"f"the invention'is to provide a `tray of thecharacter es'crbe'fdso 'constructed that 'Whentlie Atrays "fiillfo'fbottles vare stacked, the bottles and '.t'iay'sflitelo'ok in ''suoh`manrer that "a large number oftrays may behandled on a pallet as asingle'lad `Wthout "danger oi" "the upper trays 'of 'the outside 'tiers'falling 'off 'the stack, as now frequently occurs 'When'wo'oden trayscontaining 'bottlesa're"so'handled Afurther object 'f't'he'inveiition isto provide a'tay 0f the Vcli'aactor .described Whh is of 10W- er first.cost `tha'n'the conventional Wooden tray, which.lastsflonger.andalsorequires less maintenance cost tl'iz'alnthe` standardtray.

Referring to'. theldr'awigs:

`Fig. 1 is -a perspective'vi'ewshowing one side ofthe blank.Withltheaattac'hed reinforcing members;

Fig. 2 is .aper'Spect'VeVeW .of the-other side of 'the 'nat blankwthfthe strips 'forming the bottle separators .collapsed and readyforshipment;

Fig. 3 is aperspective Vviewofthelimproved tray when erectedand readyforuse;

Fig. '4 is a sectional .view .showing two trays of bottles stackedoneontheother;

Fig. 5 is a detail view vOnIineS- of'Fig. V2; and

Figs. 6 andl 7. are; perspective'yiewsof .amodied form .of tray inerected and collapsed form respectively.

'Referring to ,the drawings, particularly to Fig. l, I indicates themiddle' portion of the blank which `forms the bottom of the erectedtray. The Lbottornportio'nis provided at each end With end flaps 2vwhich form 'the end Walls of the tray and with side `lapsS `which form'the side walls of the tray. At each end of each side ap is a tab orsupplemental flap 4 which when the tray is erected folds agains'ttheinner side of the end flap 2. Inthe lpreferred'form illustrated 'in thedrawings the tabs "4 4are of a length equal .to Vthe Width of theVAflaps `3, 'but .if `it .is desired that when the tray is erectedtheendWalls of the tray will be of double thickness'throughout, thetabs f3 maybe longer than'the Width ofthe sidelaps.

Attache'd'to 'the outside face of the blankalong the line correspondingwith the score lines between the end fiaps 2'2 Vand the bottom|portion'I of the blank, and/extending over the scoreflines betweenthesaidapsfan'd the tabs 4 is a reinforcing angle ''s'uch as describedinmy abovementioned application .andconsisting preferably 0I"moldedrubber. Other materials suchas fiber impregnated plastic 'and 'thelike, may be used instead. The'an'gles' .are attached tothe edge of theb'ottomportion 'I and to the ends of the aps 3 adjacent `the score'linesbetween the flaps 3 and the tabs ll. 'The otherside of the Yangleis notattached to the end 'iaps `2 and the tabs `4 until the tray is'erecte'd.'The side .of the angle which is subsequentlyattached to the flaps! andtabs i is notched at'its. edge corresponding with the bottom corners ofthe vtray and-the attached side of the angle .is .preferablyscoredor'weakened as indicated at '6, so that the angle will bend alongthese weakened lines when thecase is erected. `In additionto the angle 5I;prefer ably attached tothe outer face of the bottom portion I of thelblank, along its vlongitudinal edges, -iiat reinforcingstrips 'I of thesame thickness as the attachedl sides of the angle 5 so that the ventireperimeter-'of thefbottom of the tray is reinforced with the rubberstrips.

The l end-flaps 2 f are Acut through ralong thea-line indicated at-l 8'to provide fhand holes Yin "the ends of the "trays, .'When the vtrayis-erected the tongues f5 are 'folded up l:inside the tray in A`themanner shoWninFigy. If necessary, thetabs li are cut away-to provideopenings registering rwith the openingsin'th-e end aps'2 When'the trayis erected. 'y

Attached'tothe outer marginal edges ofthe flaps '2 and '3 are'addtionalreinforcingA angles I-I which serve to stiffenand .protect the upperedges 'of the'side Walls" ofthe' trays. These angles rectangle.

3 are preferably smaller than the reinforcing angles 5.

When the tray is flattened for shipment the end iiaps 2 and projectingtabs 4 of the flap 3 are folded against the adjacent portions of thepart I and the flaps 3, respectively, so that the thickness of thecollapsed tray is no greater than the width of the angle 5.

The partition assembly for the bottles is also formed and attached tothe knocked down tray. As shown in Fig. 3 the partitions consist ofthree longitudinal strips and ve transverse strips, thereby providingspaces for 24 bottles. The two outer longitudinal strips I2 are composedof a single strip of fibreboard which is folded to a rectangularconfiguration as shown in Fig. 3. The meeting ends of the strips arestapled or otherwise attached to the adjacent face of one of the endflaps 2 and the strip is scored at points corresponding to the fourcorners of the The strip is slotted on its upper edge at spacedintervals for interlocking with the transverse strips I which aresimilarly notched in the usual manner to interlock with the longitudinalstrips. The middle longitudinal strip I6 is separate from the two sidestrips I2 and is assembled with the transverse strips by theinterlocking notches, but is not otherwise attached to the blank. Theentire partition assembly is thus attached to one edge flap of theknocked down blank and may be collapsed against the inner face of theflap, as shown in Fig. 2, and the nap may be folded down against theadjacent face of the bottom portion I of the blank to an extent suchthat the thickness of the folded down iiap and partition assembly is nogreater than the width of the rubber angle.

Whenthe tray is erected the end flaps 2 are vturned to verticalposition, that is, at right angles to the bottom section I, and theassembled partitions pulled out until the strip I2 assumes its originalrectangular shape. The tabs t are then turned to right angles to the aps3 and the aps 3 are then brought to vertical position with the tabs 4extending on the inside of the end aps 2. As the aps 3 are turned tovertical position the ends of the reinforcing angles 5 beyond thecut-out portions 6 will also be turned to vertical position, bringingthe unattached sides of the end portions of the angles into positionoverlying the ends of the aps 2.

' The tongues 9 are then bent inwardly through the slots 8 in the aps 4and folded up against the inside of the flaps. The various overlappingmembers of the erected tray are then stapled Y together to provide apermanently erected tray.

An ordinary portable stapling head may be used for this purpose. Theadditional staples are preferably driven into the sides of the angles 5which overlie the endflaps 2 along the bottom .and also along the endportions of the angles which in the erected tray form reinforcingmembers embracing the vertical corners. The end portion of therectangular strip I2 of the partition assembly is also stapled tothe endwall 2 of the erected tray, and the tongues 9 are stapled to the angle 5and the overlapping portions of the naps 2, thereby completing the tray.

The sides of the angles 5 which are attached to the bottom part I of thetray and the strips 1 are preferably of a width such that the bottlesforming the outside end and side rows of the underlying tray will t justwithin the edges of the reinforcing angles and strips, as indicated inFig. 4, thereby interlocking the trays when the 4 trays full of Ybottlesare stacked. When so interlocked the trays may be stacked to a muchgreater height on a truck or pallet than is possible with the woodentrays now in use, without danger of the upper trays falling off, evenwhen transported in an open truck or lifted on a pallet.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I have shown a modified arrangement of the partitionstructure whereby the collapsed tray will occupy less space than whenconstructed as above described. To this end the partitions are made intwo separate sections. One section consists of two transverse partitions2i at one endrof -the tray and three longitudinal partitions whichextend not quite midway of the length of the tray. The other sectionconsists of the two transverse partitions 22 at the other end of thetray, the middle transverse portion 23 and three longitudinal partitionsections which extend slightly more than half the length of they tray.vWhen the partition assembly is erected the longitudinal partitions atone end of the tray are aligned with the partitions at the other end ofthe'tray, as'shown in Fig. 6.

The transverse partitions 2I at one end of the tray are in the form of acontinuous rectangle with the end 2f attached, as shown, to one sidewall of the tray. In like manner the transverse partitions 22 at theother end of the tray are in the form of a continuous rectangle and theadjacent end 25 of the continuous strip which forms the rectangle isattached to 'the opposite side wall of the tray.

In Fig. 7 I have shown the tray with the partition assembly abovedescribed as it appears when collapsed for shipment. As here shown thesection of the partition assembly comprising the transverse partitions2i is collapsed against the face of the side wall of the tray to whichthe ends of the partitions 2i are attached, while the partition sectioncomprising the strips 22 is collapsed against the opposite side wall ofthe tray. rIhe tabs Ll at the end of the side wall where the partitionstrips are attached overlie the point of attachment of the nearestpartition strip, while at the other end of the sidewall the tab isfolded fiat against the face 4of the flap with the collapsed partitionsoverlying the tabs. The collapsed partition structure, when divided intwo as described, is no thicker than the width of the reinforcing anglesand consequently the collapsed trays may be stacked one on the otherwith the at side of the reinforcing angles of one tray resting on thetop edges of the collapsed tray beneath.

The rubber reinforcing strips while stiff enough and rigid enough tohold the tray in shape, even under rough handling, have some cushioningeffect which protects thebottles against breakage to a much greaterVextent than the wooden tray when the trays are bumped against each otheror dropped. Also, the rubber reinforcing members serve to protectthe'trays, particularly when the trays are empty or loaded with emptybottles, from damage due to rough handling.

The partition structure, when once set up and erected, becomes apermanent part of the tray,

structure may be made with both transverse and longitudinal sectionsbent to rectangular configuration and stapled to the walls of the trayto thereby furnish intermediate supports for both the side walls and endwalls of the tray.

While my present invention is described as applied to a tray asdistinguished from a case, it will be apparent that the various featuresof the invention may be used with equal advantage in a case wherein theside walls are the full height of the bottle and in the appended claimsthe word tray is not intended to exclude cases or other containershaving the features recited in the claims.

While I have shown and described the preferred form of my improved tray,it Will be understood that the invention is not limited to the detailsof construction herein shown and described, except insofar as recited inthe appended claims.

I claim:

1. A collapsed reinforced carrier for bottles and the like comprising asheet of paper board cut and scored to provide side and end flaps,reinforcing angles of semi-rigid plastic material attached to the sheetof paper board along certain of said 25 score lines adjacent the portionthereof forming the body of the carrier with the corner of said anglealined with said score line and with the unattached portion of saidangle projecting upwardly beyond the upper face of said bottom portionof said carrier and a collapsed partition assembly attached to the innerface of one of the flaps of said collapsed carrier said connectionproviding a fold line coincident with the end of one of said partitionstrips and the face of said flap so that when the flap to which thecollapsed partition assembly is attached is folded against the face ofthe bottom portion of said collapsed carrier the partition assembly willlie iiat against said bottom portion,

2. A collapsed reinforced carrier as recited in claim 1, wherein thethickness of the collapsed partition assembly and the ap to which it isattached is less than the height of the upstanding portion of thereinforcing angle.

WILLIAM GEISLER,

References Cited in the file 0f this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 500,296 Reber et al June 27, 1893 585,320 Steele June 29, 1897893,870 Post July 21, 1908 1,235,886 Fenlason Aug. '7, 1917 1,883,938Killeffer Oct. 25, 1932 2,130,610 Howard June 14, 1938

